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The Chicago Bears are back to playing football at Soldier Field, so that means the Chicago Fire get to head back to their former home in Bridgeview. This night wasn’t just any game. Sold out crowd of over 19K packed SeatGeek Stadium in hopes of seeing Korean superstar and Tottenham Hotspur legend Son Heung-Min make his MLS debut.
Conditions aren’t going to be pleasant or easy on a hot and super muggy night in Chicago. Challenging conditions for both teams. Big game for both teams also, each in a playoff race in their individual conferences. It’s a rare meeting for these two teams, who don’t play each other yearly.
The Fire came out hot and jumped on the attack early. Pushing the ball and creating chances. They got a corner out of their persistence. Philip Zinckernagel delivers the corner and Carlos Teran rises out of nowhere and heads the ball to the back corner of the goal, past Hugo Lloris and for a 1-0 Fire lead!
Teran was missed on defense for the last few months, but he comes through on offense tonight. Heady play (no pun intended) by Teran, who used his size and good timing to get the goal.
Seems like Berhalter’s boys are trying to shock LA early and come hard at them. LA could have been left shellshocked or respond, they chose the latter. LA pumped on the gas and started to create some offense.
Less than 10 minutes after conceding the goal, veteran defender Ryan Hollingshead gets his head on a corner from David Martinez and gets it past Chris Brady, but Hugo Cuypers heads it out behind the line. VAR check immediately triggered. Shortly after, the referee announced the ball crossed the line for a LAFC goal. LA ties it at 1-1.
Good response for LA, after Chicago started out with momentum and an early lead. The players are slipping on the slick grass, the field isn’t in great condition and the humidity is causing a slippery playing field.
The game opened up on both ends and it became a fast paced end to the first half. Both teams take a 1-1 lead into the half. LAFC has been on a seemingly never ending run of tournaments and certainly the players must be exhausted at this point. Denis Bouanga didn’t start and remains ready to come off the bench.
Early into the second half, Bouanga does indeed enter the match. The question is, will Son come on and make his debut? LA got the Bouanga injection and almost took the lead but Brady comes up huge again, saving a one-on-one attempt and deflecting it off his foot. Terrific night for Brady.
The fastbreaks were getting more frequent and a goal was going to come very soon, but which team was going to capitalize on a mistake?
In the 60th a historical moment, Son Heung-Min enters the match to a roar of the crowd. Some boos, but overwhelming cheers from many in the crowd who made the trip in hopes of witnessing this very moment.
As the eyes of the world gazed on Son, the Fire struck in the 70th. A give-and-go from Brian Gutierrez to Zinc who took it in the box and placed it off to Jonathan Bamba who fired an absolute rocket one-timer to the back of the net. Fire take a 2-1 lead. Big goal for Bamba, who had been struggling to find the back of the net this season.
When Son comes at you, good things happen. Son making an impact by setting up his teammates, but the Fire was there to defend the attempts. The Fire was about to put the game away, but Gutti’s blast ricochets off the post and suddenly LAFC is countering and it’s Son that ends up with the ball in the final third. Son makes a move on the incoming Carlos Teran who ends up bumping him. Son goes down, referee signals for VAR. Penalty! Son making an impact already.
Bouanga steps up for the penalty and buries it in the top corner of the net to tie the game at 2-2 late in the game. Both teams pushed for a win, but the defenses were able to hold it off. A point each. Likely a fair result for both teams.
Interestingly this was a fast paced and exciting game, given the weather circumstances, it could have been the opposite. Credit both teams for the effort. Huge night, Son debut, sold out passionate crowd, great atmosphere.
Notes:
- Son Heung-Min makes his MLS debut in the 61st minute for LAFC
- MLS All-Star Philip Zinckernagel recorded his 11th and 12th assists of the season in the match. The Danish winger’s 22 total goal contributions this season lifted him over forward Ante Razov (1999) for the fifth most in a single season in Fire history.
- Defender Carlos Terán opened the scoring with his first goal of the season and fifth all-time for Chicago, tallying for the first time since May 18, 2024 against Columbus Crew at Soldier Field.
- Winger Jonathan Bamba tallied his fourth goal of the season, giving Chicago a 2-1 lead in the 70th minute. His combined four goals and eight assists this season total 12 goal contributions, good for third-most on the team this season behind Zinckernagel (22) and Hugo Cuypers (16).
- Kellyn Acosta entered the match in the 88th minute of play, recording his 300th regular season appearance in MLS. The veteran midfielder became the second Fire player to reach the milestone after defender Omar González did earlier in the year. With his appearance, Acosta is now 16th among active players with most appearances in the league.
- Defender Sam Rogers (lower body) and midfielders Rominigue Kouamé (lower body) and David Poreba (lower body) were unavailable for selection in the match.
NEXT MATCH:
Chicago will return to SeatGeek Stadium for a second straight match as the Fire plays host to St. Louis CITY SC on Saturday, August 16. The match is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
